Smart searching of wireless devices using device location information

Abstract

Particular embodiments described herein provide for an apparatus, such as a wireless electronic device, that includes a memory element configured to store electronic code, a processor operable to execute instructions associated with the electronic code, and at least one module. The at least one module is configured to receive first location information identifying a first location associated with an electronic device. The at least one module is further configured to receive first connection location information indicative of a second location of the electronic device at a time of connection with a first wireless device. The at least one module is further configured to evaluate for a presence of the first wireless device when the first location is within a predetermined distance of the second location.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. Memory comprising instructions that, when executed, cause a compute device to at least:
 identify a Wi-Fi network within a communication range; 
 cause connection with the Wi-Fi network at a first point in time; 
 disable, at a second point in time after the first point in time, a functionality associated with wireless communication circuitry; and 
 automatically enable the functionality at a third point in time after the second point in time, the third point in time defined by a threshold period of time after the second point in time. 
 
     
     
       2. The memory of  claim 1 , wherein the instructions cause the compute device to initiate reconnection with the Wi-Fi network following enablement of the functionality at the third point in time. 
     
     
       3. The memory of  claim 1 , wherein the instructions cause storage of an identifier associated with the Wi-Fi network. 
     
     
       4. The memory of  claim 3 , wherein the instructions cause the compute device to retrieve the identifier from memory. 
     
     
       5. The memory of  claim 3 , wherein the instructions cause the compute device to build a set of profiles, a first profile in the set of profiles including the identifier associated with the Wi-Fi network, and other profiles in the set of profiles including other identifiers associated with other Wi-Fi networks. 
     
     
       6. The memory of  claim 5 , wherein ones of the profiles include location information indicative of locations of the compute device when the compute device connected to corresponding ones of the Wi-Fi network and the other Wi-Fi networks. 
     
     
       7. The memory of  claim 1 , wherein the instructions cause the compute device to disable the functionality associated with the wireless communication circuitry by disabling the wireless communication circuitry. 
     
     
       8. The memory of  claim 1 , wherein the instructions cause the compute device to disable the functionality associated with the wireless communication circuitry by at least one of disabling or preventing scanning for Wi-Fi networks by the wireless communication circuitry. 
     
     
       9. The memory of  claim 1 , wherein the instructions cause the compute device to disable the functionality associated with the wireless communication circuitry by switching the wireless communication circuitry from an active scanning state to an idle scanning state. 
     
     
       10. The memory of  claim 1 , wherein the communication range corresponds to a coverage range of wireless signals generated by a wireless access point. 
     
     
       11. The memory of  claim 1 , wherein the instructions cause the compute device to initiate a timer at the second point in time, the third point in time determined when the timer elapses the threshold period of time. 
     
     
       12. The memory of  claim 1 , wherein the instructions cause the compute device to:
 determine a location of the compute device; and 
 automatically enable or disable the functionality based on the location of the compute device. 
 
     
     
       13. A compute device comprising:
 a display screen; 
 a battery; 
 wireless communication circuitry to:
 identify a Wi-Fi network within a reception range of the wireless communication circuitry; and 
 connect with the Wi-Fi network at a first point in time; 
 
 memory to store an identifier associated with the Wi-Fi network; 
 instructions; and 
 processor circuitry to execute the instructions to:
 disable, at a second point in time after the first point in time, a functionality associated with the wireless communication circuitry; and 
 automatically enable the functionality at a third point in time after the second point in time, the third point in time defined by a threshold period of time after the second point in time. 
 
 
     
     
       14. The compute device of  claim 13 , wherein the wireless communication circuitry is to reconnect with the Wi-Fi network following enablement of the functionality. 
     
     
       15. The compute device of  claim 14 , wherein at least one of the wireless communication circuitry or the processor circuitry is to access the identifier from the memory. 
     
     
       16. The compute device of  claim 13 , wherein the processor circuitry is to disable the functionality associated with the wireless communication circuitry by disabling the wireless communication circuitry. 
     
     
       17. The compute device of  claim 13 , wherein the processor circuitry is to disable the functionality associated with the wireless communication circuitry by at least one of disabling or preventing scanning for Wi-Fi networks by the wireless communication circuitry. 
     
     
       18. The compute device of  claim 13 , wherein the processor circuitry is to disable the functionality associated with the wireless communication circuitry by changing the wireless communication circuitry from an active scanning mode to an idle scanning mode. 
     
     
       19. The compute device of  claim 13 , wherein the processor circuitry is to initiate a timer at the second point in time, the third point in time identified based on when the timer elapses the threshold period of time. 
     
     
       20. The compute device of  claim 13 , wherein the processor circuitry is to:
 determine a location of the compute device; and 
 automatically enable the functionality when the location is within a threshold distance of an access point associated with the Wi-Fi network. 
 
     
     
       21. The compute device of  claim 13 , wherein the processor circuitry is to generate a plurality of profiles, the plurality of profiles including the identifier associated with the Wi-Fi network and other identifiers associated with other Wi-Fi networks. 
     
     
       22. The compute device of  claim 21 , wherein the plurality of profiles includes location information indicative of locations of the compute device when the compute device connected to corresponding ones of the Wi-Fi network and the other Wi-Fi networks. 
     
     
       23. A method comprising:
 identifying a Wi-Fi network within a communication range of a compute device; 
 connecting with the Wi-Fi network at a first point in time; 
 disabling, by executing an instruction with processor circuitry at a second point in time after the first point in time, a functionality associated with wireless communication circuitry of the compute device; 
 accessing an identifier associated with the Wi-Fi network from memory; and 
 automatically enabling, by executing an instruction with the processor circuitry, the functionality at a third point in time after the second point in time, the third point in time defined by a threshold period of time after the second point in time. 
 
     
     
       24. The method of  claim 23 , further including reconnecting with the Wi-Fi network following enablement of the functionality at the third point in time. 
     
     
       25. The method of  claim 23 , wherein the disabling of the functionality associated with the wireless communication circuitry includes disabling the wireless communication circuitry. 
     
     
       26. The method of  claim 23 , wherein the disabling of the functionality associated with the wireless communication circuitry includes at least one of disabling or preventing scanning for Wi-Fi networks by the wireless communication circuitry. 
     
     
       27. The method of  claim 23 , wherein the disabling of the functionality associated with the wireless communication circuitry includes switching the wireless communication circuitry from an active scanning state to an idle scanning state. 
     
     
       28. The method of  claim 23 , further including initiating a timer at the second point in time, the third point in time determined when the timer elapses the threshold period of time. 
     
     
       29. The method of  claim 23 , further including:
 determining a location of the compute device; and 
 automatically enabling the functionality based on the location of the compute device. 
 
     
     
       30. The method of  claim 29 , further including automatically enabling the functionality based on the location of the compute device. 
     
     
       31. The method of  claim 23 , further including building a set of profiles, a first profile including the identifier associated with the Wi-Fi network and other profiles including other identifiers associated with other Wi-Fi networks. 
     
     
       32. The method of  claim 31 , wherein the set of profiles include location information indicative of locations of the compute device when the compute device connected to corresponding ones of the Wi-Fi network and the other Wi-Fi networks.